how do you get your kids to clean there room?
By psychotaz206
@psychotaz206 (2086)
United States
6 responses
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I have 3 kids, 2 boys and 1 girl. My daughter is the youngest (she is 11) and she is by far the messiest of the 3. My oldest son (now 20) always had a messy room. I would harp and harp on him to keep a clean room - and he continued to fight me on keeping his room clean. Then one day out of the blue, he cleaned his room and it has stayed clean since then...mind you it is not immuculate, however, it is okay by me. My middle son (13) was he same way and lately he has transformed from his messy days as well. I don't know if it is a stage they go through or what. If it is, I only hope and pray my daughter grows out of her messy stage soon, because like I said she is by far the worse one. You would think being a girl she would be neater, but she is not. Hopefully your boys will out grown there messy stage soon like mine did...just keep on them. Good luck!
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i hope they grow out of it and soon, i have 4 children 3 boys and a girl my daughter is just 1 so she cant really clean my 3 year old will help me clean so hes not to bad my 6 and 11 year old are the two that give me problems cleaning there room i think they do it to drive us crazy i am not sure.
@cher8558 (425)
• Canada
21 Jun 09
Hi gdesjardin and others,
I can so relate to you. I also have 3 kids, 2 boys and a girl. My daughter is also the youngest at 15. She is also by far the messiest of the 3. My oldest son is 23 and his room has been immaculate since he turned about 15. My middle son is 19. His room is a mix between his sister's and his brother's.
I have done everything trying to get these two to clean their rooms. Like I said though, my daughters is just disgusting. She doesn't seem to care. I don't know how she sits in there on her computer amongst this giant mess, and I mean giant. I have given in and cleaned her room a couple of times, each time took me from morning well into the late night. Yeah, that bad. But I found within a couple of days, it was pretty well the way it started. I gave up at that point.
I have threatened and punished and ranted and raved, all to no avail. I don't think she will grow out of this until she's grown and moving out. I just have to accept it and close the door.
Good luck to you.
Cheryl
@gdesjardin (1918)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I have been on my daughter all weekend to clean her room. I can't even get to her bathroom without stepping on something....it is disgusting. There are clothes on the floor (clean and dirty)....I give up as well. I hope my daughter out grows it like my sons do and soon. I can't even image that she will ever get a husband as sloppy as she is.
@magrylouyu (1627)
• United States
21 Jun 09
With my stepson I have no problem I just tell him go clean your room and it's done 15 minutes later. With my 2 daughters who are 4 and 5 I find that telling my 5 year old to pick up 10 toys that go in the toy box then to pick up 5 books and put them where they go. That is what works for me. I can sit there and tell my girls to go clean their room and they just stare at me like I'm nuts. So, I decided to break it up a little bit and have them both pick up X amount of toys then X amount of books and then X amount of the toys that just go into the closet. I finally figured that out about 2 months ago. It took a while but that's my stradigy.
@magrylouyu (1627)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I hear you on that. So far that is what works for us. I mean it has only been 2 months. It could change but I'm hoping sticking to this will work. I hope you find what works for your children.
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i tryed that and it seemed like it started to work then all the sudon they just gave up on doing it and i cant sit in there rooms all day when i have stuff do do and 2 little ones i need to take care of as well.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
21 Jun 09
This has been a bug bear of mine for ages, the kids and their rooms. My boys were so messy it was disgusting and I just got so fed up of trying to get them to clean it up that I went in there myself and blitzed the whole room. I threw anything that was on the floor in the bin, which was obviously their toys and stuff and just gutted the whole room. I did this a few weeks ago now and I can honestly say that since then they have kept their room spotless I am so pleased with them! I think the fact that I threw a lot of their toys and favourite things in the bin had something to do with it!!!
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i have went in my 2 boys rooms a few times and threw what ever was on the floor away hoping that would get them to keep there room clean but it did not it was clean for like 2 days and then went back to being a mess .
@momtrying2makeit (3270)
• United States
21 Jun 09
I am not sure how old your children are but for me I just get on their butts so to speak. I try to give rewards as well that way they are more likely to do what they need to do. I am not sure what else I could tell you to do other than that. Make them young to because the older they get they will keep you doing it. 
Take care friend. 
Take care friend. @psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i tryed that but it dont seem to be working very well, when they where younger like 3 or 4 they would do it now they are 6 and 11 and dont want to clean there rooms and its driving me crazy because i am trying to get all the trash out of the house before we go to camp on thursday.
@check23 (448)
• Philippines
21 Jun 09
First, try to teach them how to do it. Show them how it is done and let them try it too. Join them while cleaning their room for the first time. But if that doesn't work then tell them that if they do that they will have a reward. Make sure that you give them the reward after that so that the next time they will still clean their room. =D
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i have done that already i also explained to them what needs to be done and they just dont seem to care
@jt1981 (125)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i read something online that changed my life! it says that kids have trouble cleaning their rooms because when you just say "go clean your room," it overwhelms them, because they don't know what to do first. they just see a big mess and get distracted. i would get frustrated with my child over this same issue. after i read the article, i tried helping him with his room by directing and it actually worked! try telling them specific things to do. like, pick up all the dirty clothes, make your bed, dust off your shelves, etc. hope this works for you. if not you can try the house fairy thing...check out this link: http://www.housefairy.org
@psychotaz206 (2086)
• United States
21 Jun 09
i might have to try the house fairy thing because i tryed the telling them what they need to do in there room and it didnt work they just stood there and said they didnt feel like it , they think i am going to do it but i am not i did not make the mess so i will not be the one to clean it up.
